1976 Profile: Joe Ferguson

Quarterback
No. 12
Arkansas
"'The big improvement in my passing,' he says, looking back on his most successful season, 'has been that I recognize coverage. As a result, I'm more willing to throw to a secondary receiver.' He threw 25 touchdown passes, more than double the number in 1974."

-John Devaney, Schenley Pro Football Guide 1976

"Ferguson was one of the most efficient and productive quarterbacks in the NFL in 1975, throwing for 25 touchdowns, a figure matched only by the Vikings' Fran Tarkenton. He continued his statistical improvement in every passing category, completing 169 passes for 2,426 yards. He set two Bills passing records: most touchdown passes in a season (25) and most consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass (12).
He also tied a Buffalo mark with four touchdown passes against New England on November 23. Joe threw for a career high of 296 yards while hitting on 15 of 29 passes against the New York Jets on November 2, and completed a career high 20 passes in both games against Miami. He holds the Buffalo passing mark for the highest completion percentage in one game (81.3)' set when he hit on 13 of 16 passes against Green Bay in 1974.
Ferguson's career statistics include 4,953 passing yards (third on the all-time Bills' list) and 41 touchdown passes (second on the all-time Bills' list). His career completion percentage is 50.3, second only to Dennis Shaw's 52.9 mark. He has rushed for 340 yards in three seasons while starting every regular season game. Ferguson made the UPI All-Rookie team in 1973 when he was the only first-year player in the NFL to start every game at quarterback.
An All-America quarterback at Arkansas, Ferguson was voted MVP in the Southwest Conference and a member of the All-Conference team as a junior. He set a number of Razorback passing records for Coach Frank Broyles and was named to the North-South Shrine Game, Hula Bowl and College All-Star squads.
Joe was a physical education major who hopes to someday be a coach. He has worked in the last two off-seasons as an assistant coach at Northwestern Louisiana State University. Hunting and fishing are Joe's favorite spare time pursuits."

-Buffalo Bills 1976 Yearbook